Demountable structure



March 24, .1925.

r L. MpPARKER DEMOUNTABLE STRUCTURE Filed Jan. 6. 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 JET/6721507" [sizzle Jf. Parker Winaqs March 24, 1925.

L. M. BARKER DEMOUNTABLE STRUCTURE Filed Jan. 6, 192 3 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 [Hz/6722507" le Z26 J6 Fair/?" I Patented Mar. 34, W25.

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To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that l, Lnsmn M. PARKER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Evanston, in the county of Cook and. State F of Illinois, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Demountable Structures, of which the following is a specification.

llhis invention relates to demountable structures, the members from which they are made, and the process of making the structures and the members.

one object to provide a process whereby a I large number of different types of structures may be built from standard parts andin which the number of types of such stand- My ard parts is reduced. to the minimum. Another object is to provide a limited number. of standard parts which may be assembled in'varying combinations so as to produce a large variety of different structural forms. 'Another object is to provide a limited number of standard parts from which practically any structural form may be assembled and to provide such parts so that they may be used first in one combination and then in another. Other objects willappear from time to time throughout the specification and claims.

drawings, wherein Figure 1 is a perspective view of a bridge;

I Figure 2 is an elevation of three of the parts assembled to form a structural unit;

Figure 3 is a side elevation of one end of, the parts shown in Figure 2;

Figure 4 is an enlarged side elevation indicating a union of such parts;

Figure 5 is a side elevation showing an other part;

Figure 6 is a fragmentary side elevation of a built-up unit which may be formed of a plurality of unions shown in Figure 2;

Figure 7 is a partial perspective view similar to Figure 1 showing a modified form, with an additional joining plate in use nnmoun'rannn srnncrunn.

Application med January e, 1923. Serial in. 611,012.

ters throughout.

l',530,6ll

TENT OFFICE.

PARKER, or nvansron, innrnoms.

Figure 8 is a'detailed elevation on an enlarged scale showing such plate;

Figure 9 is a perspective of the plate.

Likeparts are designated by like charac- A is a longitudinal structural member which is here shown as being made of wood but which may be made of any material.

It has for lock B the accompanying in a structure.

Adjacent each of its ends a nail or pin A 'is positioned in the member A.

B is a union member here shown as being composed of metal, although it might be of any other suitable material. formed of the laterally extending web portion B through which a perforation B is formed. At its other end it carries the socket part B which has formed in it the bayonet lock B The member B is adapted to he slipped over one, end of the member A and the pin A is engaged in the bayonet It is To provide for lateral connections the member C is used. This member as here shown is formed substantially like the member B. It is provided with the web portion erforation C and the socket member C w ich has in it a bayonet look similar to the lock shown at B. 'As here shown the member O is formed from the member B by bending the Web portion B at right angles to the socket portion B D, D are bolts by means of which a number ofunions are joined or secured together E is an attaching plate bent into two portions joining each other at an angle. It is intended for joining portions of'the structure Which lie in different planes. portion or the plate E is perforated as at Each As shown in Figure 7 bracing in the top v and bottom of the bridge is provided. Such V a bent union-member such as. that shown in detail in Figure 5, all of the union members used in the structure are identical and cross connections and connections of portions of the structure lying in different planes are made by the use of an additional member.

. rially from the spirit of my invention, and

'I wish therefore that my showing be'taken as in a sense diagrammatic.

'llhe use and operation of my invention.

are as follows:

When it is desired to form a structure the necessary number of longitudinal members is assembled-and one-ofgthe unio'n fittings is positioned on each end of these. If the member is to be used for a longitudinal connection, the flat metal fittings are used, and if it is used for lateral connections the bent metal fitting may be used. When the parts have been thus assembled, they are then used to form a structure of any suitable type. They, may be assembled to form a bridge or to form a truss or arch of any type necessar The lateral connections as shown are 0 set from the point of connection of the members. which are united to form a joint either by the use of the bent union member or by the use of an additional angular attaching plate. This feature permits of rotation of the connection member, and this rotation is particularly shown in Figure 4. By means of this arrangement the lateral connections may be manipulated about a point and in this fashion the level of any structure which is supported from them may be varied and slight variations may be made to counteract inaccuracies which may have occurred elsewhere in the structure or which maybe due to sagging or other unavoidable action.

As shown in Figures 7, 8, and 9 no bent union members are used, and thus the structure there shown requires only two types of joining members, namely, the single flat union member and the single angular joining plate. The type of connection shown in the structure of Figure 7 and illustrated in detail in Figure 8 permits of considerable.

rotation of the parts. For example, the plate E may. be rotated throughout a complete circle with reference to the upward extension of the'lower socket union member, and the cross member may be rotated throughout 2. A construction member comprising an intermediate longitudinal element of relatively light, bulky material, and identical metallic unit union members removably secured to each end thereof.

3. A construction member comprising an intermediate longitudinal element of wood,

and identical metallic unit union members removably secured to. each end thereof.

4. A construction member comprising an intermediate longitudinal element of relatively light bulky material, a projecting pin adjacent each. end thereof, metallic union members removably secured to each end thereof, each of said member being provided with a slot adapted to engage and look upon said pin.

5. In a composite structure, a plurality of removable unit members including longitudinal members and identical removable connecting members attached one to each end of each of said longitudinal members, a plurality of said attaching members joined to form a composite union of said longitudinal members. a 6. A composite structure formed of a plurality of removable members, each of said members provided with a longitudinal portion and with identical removable unit attaching members at its end.

7 In .a composite building structure, a plurality of removable members comprising longitudinal elements and identical removable connectingelements attached one to each end. of each of said longitudinal elements, a plurality of said attaching elements being 'oined in one plane to form a union of said longitudinal members, and attaching plate secured thereto in said plane and having,, a portion lying in a plane at an angle to the first plane, and a plurality of attach ing members lying in said different plane, and 'oined to each other and to said union mem er.

8. The process of building structures which consists in assembling a plurality. of longitudinal members, removablyjoining to each end of each of said members an identical attaching member and joining a plurality of said attaching members to make a union between a plurality of said longitudinal members to form the structure.

9. A construction member comprising an intermediate longitudinal element and a pair of single unit union members removably secured thereto one at each end thereof.

10. A construction member comprising an intermediate longitudinal section and a pair of substantially identical unit union members removably attached one at each end thereof, the said parts forming in combination a complete building element adapted to 10 be associated with other similar composite elements. a

Signed at Chicago, county of Cook and State of Illinois, this 4th day of January,

LESLIE M. PARKER. 

